Cruz vows to continue fight against 'Obamacare'

By Peggy Fikac :
October 19, 2013
: Updated: October 19, 2013 5:35pm

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz meets with pages at the Texas Federation of Republican Women State Convention in San Antonio on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013. Cruz is back in the state following his efforts to defund Obamacare by forcing a federal budget showdown.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz meets with pages and others at the Texas Federation of Republican Women State Convention in San Antonio on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013. Cruz is back in the state following his efforts to defund Obamacare by forcing a federal budget showdown.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz meets with pages at the Texas Federation of Republican Women State Convention in San Antonio on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013. Cruz is back in the state following his efforts to defund Obamacare by forcing a federal budget showdown.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz was in San Antonio

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks with Marian P. Knowlton at the Texas Federation of Republican Women State Convention in San Antonio on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013. Cruz is back in the state following his efforts to defund Obamacare by forcing a federal budget showdown.

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AUSTIN — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said Saturday he's not backing down from his no-holds-barred fight against the federal health care law despite the political backlash even from fellow Republicans.

At a speech to the Texas Medical Association, ahead of a scheduled appearance in San Antonio, he kept up his barrage of criticism against Senate Republicans who didn't support the effort that he helped lead to stop funding for the federal health care law during budget negotiations. The fight led to a partial government shutdown.

Praising House Republicans' plan that he supported, Cruz said, “You don't win a fight when your own team is firing cannons at the people who are standing up and leading,” referring to House Republicans.

The lack of support from other Senate Republicans, he said, is “what led directly to this lousy deal” to re-open the government .

While Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky told the National Review that another government shutdown is off the table next year, Cruz was vague when asked about the prospects of another budget delay.

“There will be plenty of time to consider the particular tactical or strategic decisions,” Cruz told reporters after his speech. “What I can tell you is that the fight in my opinion needs to stay focused on stopping the disaster that is Obamacare, because people are hurting, and this deal ignored the American people.”

The issue is looming again for Washington leaders because the deal to re-open the government includes only a temporary measure to fund the government through mid-January and to suspend the debt ceiling through early February.

Cruz repeatedly lambasted Senate Republicans who didn't stand with the House Republicans.

“The deal that was cut this week is a classic example of the Washington establishment selling the American people down the river,” Cruz said, citing harms that he said have come from the health care law including a depressing effect on jobs.

During his speech, Cruz did an impersonation of comedian Jay Leno, repeating a favorite joke from before the last election.

“He said,” said Cruz, switching to a clipped, louder voice, “'So, uh, President Obama is targeting first-time voters. Well, of course he is. The second-time voters have all graduated and can't find jobs.'”